Sam Gaze

Samuel William Gaze (born 12 December 1995) is a New Zealand cross-country and road cyclist, who currently rides for UCI WorldTeam. He won the under-23 Cross-Country at the 2016 UCI Mountain Bike & Trials World Championships and the 2017 UCI Mountain Bike World Championships. He also competes on occasion in road racing events, winning the National Criterium Championships in 2017 and 2018.

Career
At the Men's cross-country event at the 2014 Commonwealth Games, Gaze won the silver medal behind fellow New Zealand rider Anton Cooper. Gaze was selected ahead of Cooper, who had medical conditions during 2016, to represent New Zealand at the 2016 Summer Olympics. He had two punctures in the Olympic race and his gears failed, and he pulled out when he got lapped.

In March 2018, Gaze became the first New Zealander to win an elite UCI Mountain Bike World Cup title, when he claimed the cross country event in the first round of the season in Stellenbosch, South Africa. In April 2018, Gaze won the gold medal in the cross country event at the 2018 Commonwealth Games. Despite his win, Gaze came under significant media attention for his perceived unsportsmanlike behaviour towards his compatriot and silver place winner Cooper. Gaze was fined CHF200 by the International Cycling Union for showing Cooper the finger during the race.

In August 2019, Gaze joined UCI WorldTeam as a stagiaire for the second half of the season. For 2020, Gaze joined the team to contest road and mountain biking events.

Personal life
Of Māori descent, Gaze affiliates to the Te Āti Awa iwi.

Mountain bike

 * 2014
 * 2nd Silver medal blank.svg Cross-country, Commonwealth Games


 * 2015
 * 2nd Silver medal uci.svg Eliminator, UCI Urban World Championships


 * 2016
 * 1st MaillotNuevaZelanda.PNG Cross-country, National Championships
 * 1st Jersey rainbow.svg Cross-country, UCI World Under-23 Championships
 * UCI Under-23 XCO World Cup
 * 1st Cairns
 * 1st Albstadt
 * 3rd La Bresse
 * 3rd Lenzerheide


 * 2017
 * 1st Jersey rainbow.svg Cross-country, UCI World Under-23 Championships


 * 2018
 * 1st Gold medal blank.svg Cross-country, Commonwealth Games
 * UCI XCO World Cup
 * 1st Stellenbosch
 * UCI XCC World Cup
 * 1st Nové Město
 * 1st Mont-Sainte-Anne
 * 2nd Albstadt
 * Copa Catalana Internacional
 * 1st Girona
 * 2nd Cross-country, Oceania Championships


 * 2021
 * Swiss Bike Cup
 * 1st Basel
 * Copa Catalana Internacional
 * 1st Girona
 * 1st Sittard


 * 2022
 * UCI World Championships
 * 1st Jersey rainbow.svg Marathon
 * 1st Jersey rainbow.svg Short track
 * 1st Gold medal blank.svg Cross-country, Commonwealth Games
 * UCI XCC World Cup
 * 1st Albstadt
 * 1st Wijster
 * Copa Catalana Internacional
 * 2nd Vallnord


 * 2023
 * UCI World Championships
 * 1st Jersey rainbow.svg Short track
 * 2nd Silver medal uci.svg Cross-country
 * XCO French Cup
 * 1st Guéret
 * 2nd Marseille–Luminy
 * Shimano Super Cup
 * 1st La Nucia
 * XCC French Cup
 * 1st Guéret
 * UCI XCC World Cup
 * 2nd Nové Město


 * 2024
 * UCI XCC World Cup
 * 1st Mairiporã
 * 1st Val di Sole
 * 3rd Les Gets

Road

 * 2017
 * 1st MaillotNuevaZelanda.PNG National Criterium Championships
 * 4th Time trial, National Under-23 Championships


 * 2018
 * 1st MaillotNuevaZelanda.PNG National Criterium Championships
 * 10th Road race, Commonwealth Games